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Post by Ish Kabbible on Dec 9, 2015 12:46:01 GMT -5
Labyrinth (1986) Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie Directed by Jim Henson
Bratty teen Jennifer is babysitting her little baby brother and annoyed by his crying. She wishes the goblins would take him away. Ziggy The Goblin King is happy to do so. Now Jennifer has to go through a maze to get to the castle her brother is held. She picks up some muppet friends on the way while avoiding traps and second rate Bowie songs.
A film for pre-teens. The pairing of Jim Henson with George Lucas producing and David Bowie starring and providing original songs must have seemed very intriguing 30 years ago. But its really just for the young'uns. The goblin muppets and others in this film look like left overs from the 1st season of Saturday Night Live. Special effects-some decent like the chamber of hands, most very primitive even for its time. The Bowie songs are forgettable. Again, if you were of the proper age when first viewing this, you might have a fond memory. For adults-it should have been much better
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Post by Arthur Gordon Scratch on Dec 9, 2015 14:13:05 GMT -5
A quick interruption to the Batmania auditions
The Comedians (1967) Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov, James Earl Jones, Roscoe Lee Brown, Paul Ford, Lillian Gish, Cicely Tyson
Richard Burton manages a bankrupt, family owned hotel in Haiti. Politically he's uninvolved and cynic but gets drawn into the corruption and brutality which are the hallmarks of the "Papa Doc" Duvalier regime that's in power. Peter Ustinov is a South American Ambassador with his wife Elizabeth Taylor. Burton, of course, is having an affair with La Liz. Alec Guinness is a decorated British officer being held by the Haitian government.
This is quite a remarkable film for several reasons. Firstly is based on a novel by Graham Greene who also wrote the film's screenplay. Secondly, it's got a stellar cast. But what's most remarkable is that Papa Doc Duvalier was firmly in office in Haiti when this film was released. It paints a very ugly and essentially truthful picture of what was occurring in Haiti at that time. But Papa Doc was anti-communist so he was America's friend and while we focused our venom on Cuba, we gave Haiti a free pass. Besides which, the American public was more attuned to what was going on in Vietnam, The Civil Rights movement, The 6 Day Arab/Israeli War and The Boston Red Sox coming so close to winning the World Series.
I think it kind of fizzled at the box office, never recalled anyone talking about it when it was released or in the subsequent years. But a hard-hitting, timely and factual political film from a Hollywood studio like MGM, it is amazing. I would think Costa-Gavras would have been influenced by this as well as the classic Battle Of Algiers. See it!! So we had a Richard Burton day as well ;-)
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Post by dupersuper on Dec 9, 2015 19:46:05 GMT -5
Labyrinth (1986) Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie Directed by Jim Henson Bratty teen Jennifer is babysitting her little baby brother and annoyed by his crying. She wishes the goblins would take him away. Ziggy The Goblin King is happy to do so. Now Jennifer has to go through a maze to get to the castle her brother is held. She picks up some muppet friends on the way while avoiding traps and second rate Bowie songs. A film for pre-teens. The pairing of Jim Henson with George Lucas producing and David Bowie starring and providing original songs must have seemed very intriguing 30 years ago. But its really just for the young'uns. The goblin muppets and others in this film look like left overs from the 1st season of Saturday Night Live. Special effects-some decent like the chamber of hands, most very primitive even for its time. The Bowie songs are forgettable. Again, if you were of the proper age when first viewing this, you might have a fond memory. For adults-it should have been much better I've never forgotten them... *hums "Dance the Magic Dance"*
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Dec 9, 2015 20:14:08 GMT -5
So we had a Richard Burton day as well ;-)
Somewhere up there, Burton is having a toast to us both.Down the hatch, Richard
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Dec 10, 2015 12:22:17 GMT -5
Road To Singapore (1940) Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, Anthony Quinn
First of the "Road" movies. Bob and Bing, escaping from unwanted upcoming marriages, arrive in Singapore and shack up with native girl Dorothy. Her ex-boyfriend Anthony Quinn who is a master of the whip has objections with that arrangement. I would have thought the film censor board would too
First of 7 team-ups of Bob, Bing and Dorothy. And to think Fred MacMurray and George Burns were the original choices but turned it down. Jerry Colonna is also in the movie, he's hilarious. Nice little time waster, I always fast forward through the songs especially the serious Bing ones. The comedy songs are not too funny either. But Bob in his younger days was a great comic. Dorothy was great eye candy.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Dec 10, 2015 12:42:57 GMT -5
Joan Of Arc (1948) Ingrid Bergman, Jose Ferrer, Ward Bond, J. Carrol Naish, Gene Lockhart, Leif Erikson, Cecil Kellaway
15th century France and the country is divided by war amongst its regions. Meanwhile England is taking advantage by occupying the French countryside . Peasant girl Joan claims to have saints and God speak directly to her to help the local Dolphin (excuse me ..Dauphin-Jose Ferrer) become King of France and she is also destined to lead the united French army in defeating England and driving them out of the land. However, the Dolphin upon becoming King winds up betraying Joan, is given to the English who put her on trail and now her life is at stake
So much medieval faddle about God being on a particular side during a war. How its worth sacrificing one's life to achieve eternal reward. Thankfully the human race has progressed way beyond this concept in the 600 years after this event. Right? Allahu Ackbar. God Is Great.
Back to the film. A colorful, big budget spectacular. Directed by the master Victor (Gone With The Wind/ Wizard Of Oz) Fleming. Bergman is radiant and pious. Oscar wins for costumes and cinematography. One must see the 1928 silent movie The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (one of the greatest silent films) for the definitive version of Joan's trial. However, this one is fine as far as Hollywood productions go. The movie suffered at the box office when it was revealed to the public that Ingrid was living with director Roberto Rossellini while both married to others. Jose Ferrer's film debut, Victor Fleming's last
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 10, 2015 15:56:35 GMT -5
Joan Of Arc (1948) Ingrid Bergman, Jose Ferrer, Ward Bond, J. Carrol Naish, Gene Lockhart, Leif Erikson, Cecil Kellaway 15th century France and the country is divided by war amongst its regions. Meanwhile England is taking advantage by occupying the French countryside . Peasant girl Joan claims to have saints and God speak directly to her to help the local Dolphin (excuse me ..Dauphin-Jose Ferrer) become King of France and she is also destined to lead the united French army in defeating England and driving them out of the land. However, the Dolphin upon becoming King winds up betraying Joan, is given to the English who put her on trail and now her life is at stake So much medieval faddle about God being on a particular side during a war. How its worth sacrificing one's life to achieve eternal reward. Thankfully the human race has progressed way beyond this concept in the 600 years after this event. Right? Allahu Ackbar. God Is Great. Back to the film. A colorful, big budget spectacular. Directed by the master Victor (Gone With The Wind/ Wizard Of Oz) Fleming. Bergman is radiant and pious. Oscar wins for costumes and cinematography. One must see the 1928 silent movie The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (one of the greatest silent films) for the definitive version of Joan's trial. However, this one is fine as far as Hollywood productions go.The movie suffered at the box office when it was revealed to the public that Ingrid was living with director Roberto Rossellini while both married to others. Jose Ferrer's film debut, Victor Fleming's last I saw this a year or so ago and I was absolutely mesmerized by Ingrid Bergman. It may not be the best movie about the Maid of Orleans, but Ingrid Bergman is the most beautiful Joan of Arc. I also saw the one with Jean Seberg fairly recently and I like that a lot as well, mostly for being very weird. And Jean Seberg is trying so hard to not seem so badly miscast. Very entertaining, if not always for the right reasons.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 10, 2015 16:01:40 GMT -5
Road To Singapore (1940) Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, Anthony QuinnFirst of the "Road" movies. Bob and Bing, escaping from unwanted upcoming marriages, arrive in Singapore and shack up with native girl Dorothy. Her ex-boyfriend Anthony Quinn who is a master of the whip has objections with that arrangement. I would have thought the film censor board would too First of 7 team-ups of Bob, Bing and Dorothy. And to think Fred MacMurray and George Burns were the original choices but turned it down. Jerry Colonna is also in the movie, he's hilarious. Nice little time waster, I always fast forward through the songs especially the serious Bing ones. The comedy songs are not too funny either. But Bob in his younger days was a great comic. Dorothy was great eye candy. One of the songs cracks me up and I used to sing part of it every once in a while. And I found it on YouTube! "Captain Custard"!
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Post by DE Sinclair on Dec 10, 2015 16:14:05 GMT -5
I always loved the "Road" movies. I'll have to dig them out for another watching. Especially liked the "breaking the 4th wall" bits, like Hope announcing Crosby was about to sing so it was a good time for the audience to go out and get some popcorn.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 10, 2015 16:51:16 GMT -5
I love that part in Road to Morocco where the camels are talking.
Camel (with a Katharine Hepburn type lilt): When I see how crazy people act, I'm glad I'm a camel.
Other camel: I'm glad you're a camel too, Mabel! (And his eyes start going round and round in a manner that I think is supposed to be suggestive.)
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Post by Deleted on Dec 10, 2015 19:20:20 GMT -5
This was really neat...some 36 years later...Ish, you'd fit right in...I'll be having my annual weekend viewing soon...
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Dec 10, 2015 20:18:36 GMT -5
This was really neat...some 36 years later...Ish, you'd fit right in...I'll be having my annual weekend viewing soon... Great find Ulty!! I must say I've aged better than them, my hair is still mostly black (just not as much on top). A subway ride back then probably went for 60 cents, now it is $2.75.
And please, check out The Wanderers that came out the same year and dealing with street gangs as well. The two films are a perfect double feature
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Post by DE Sinclair on Dec 11, 2015 10:33:53 GMT -5
"Waaariors... come out and play-ay!"
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 11, 2015 11:06:07 GMT -5
I'm watching Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950), directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Dana Andrews. I don't think Dana Andrews is anybody's favorite actor, but I like seeing him in the credits, and when he gets a good script and some decent support from the other actors, he can make some great films.
I realized within about a minute that I've seen this before, but I don't remember a thing except that Detective Dixon (Andrews) has an anger management problem. So I watched it for a bit, trying to figure out if it's worth seeing again. There's Karl Malden. There's Gene Tierney. (I had completely forgotten she's in it.)
And then I got to the 20-minute mark and ... I don't want to spoil it. I still don't remember what happens, but, yeah, this looks like it has a pretty good chance of being a great film noir. I'm kind of surprised I don't remember it better. I must have watched it late at night when I was barely awake and I might have dozed off a little.
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Dec 11, 2015 12:31:47 GMT -5
Last Tango In Paris (1972) Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider Directed by Bernardo Bertolluci
Young French girl hooks up with middle aged American. They have plenty of sex and he hates to use names
World wide controversial film that received an X rating everywhere. Brando was coming off his big come back role in The Godfather and this film held great anticipation from his fans. There is no plot to speak of. In fact, Brando always mentioned in interviews he had no idea what the film was about except it probably had to do with the director's sexual proclivities. Maria Schneider is gorgeous but she stated many times that the film ruined her career and she regrets doing it. Yes, plenty of sex both with and without butter. Brando abstained from a full frontal nudity shot because he thought his penis shriveled to peanut size in front of a camera . There was a butt shot of him towards the end.
If Brando was not in the film, it would be unknown
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